Tea for Two
by Marauder Athene
Summary: Right after Charles gets back from the hospital after being shot... He goes down to the kitchen for his morning tea and does everything as he did before... he left.


**This is ALLLLLL for the feels. Send them to me. I want to HEAR your anguish. (this is written for my Gears. :-3 Love you deary!)**

**~Tea For Two(A Tragedy)~**

_**Author Unknown(meaning I can't find one)**_

**It wasn't until after**

**I poured the second cup**

**that I realized**

**I was alone.**

Charles went into his kitchen…. How he would have liked to say he had walked in- much a simple change of a word that makes all the difference. He could cover it up by saying "went", or "he entered", but when those words became overused; what to say? Rolled? Wheeled? Motored? Those were a bit degrading, however true they were. Oh well…. He would think of something.

He moved to the stove to make his morning tea. He hadn't been able to have a proper cuppa in over a week. Being shot in the back and put in the hospital does that to you. Suffice it to say, he had been quite eager for the morning. So the Professor put the kettle on and settled himself next to table with his newspaper. Goodness…. What all would it talk about that morning? He hoped that the details of the beach had not been mentioned. In any case, he was sure they would still be talking about the Russians and the incidents near Cuba. He set the paper down not wanting to look and relive the events of that day just yet.

These vague thoughts flitted through his mind in the hazy state that comes with morning. He stared out the window with his hand holding up his chin. It was early enough in the morning so the students would still be in bed, thankfully. He wanted his first, real cup of tea in peace.

The kettle sang- the most beautiful music to Charles' ears. He…. rolled to the stove again and took the lovely screaming thing off the burner. Setting it carefully on the counter, he moved to the container for the leaves. What to actually do later that day? This was the next thought roaming though the telepaths sleepy mind. He puts the leaves in. Perhaps some training for the others would be entertaining to him. _'Mmm… Earl Gray.'_ They, surely, haven't done any training since he left. Then again, they deserved it. He takes down some cups. Maybe just some running…. Mmm…. No. Perhaps not running. The leaves are still steeping. Some weights maybe. That won't bring back memories. The tea is done. _'Finally.'_ Charles picks up the kettle and pours a cup. Maybe he could just sit and talk and do normal things with his students for once. He pours a second. Yes, talking would be-

Charles sets down the kettle and stares at what he's done. Two cups. A tear of sudden memories comes to his eye. Every morning since they had started living at the mansion, Erik and Charles had come down early to the kitchen for tea. Erik hadn't really liked tea that much, but Earl Gray had grown on him and had become his second favorite start to the day. The first being a simple, friendly chat with his good friend.

Charles leaned back in his chair. To think that following the same routine would be more painful than having you change it…. He looked back at the table and saw the chair he used to sit in and the one next to it being Erik's. He turns back to the tea. That cup is the same—

"Expecting me?" a voice said. Charles whipped around and stared. "And the same cup even. My my…. Old habits die hard, it would seem." Erik. Erik was standing in the doorway. He must have come in through the backdoor before Charles had entered and hidden in the next room.

'_How did he know I would actually come down here?'_ He clears his throat. "Is Raven doing alright?"_ 'And are you?'_ The unwilling thought came and went in a flash. He blinks at himself in surprise, but kept a neutral face.

Erik smiled in a casual way. "Yes, she's fine." Charles nodded and was silent for a moment. Then he looked at the cups of tea and slowly reached out to take them. One in his lap and one in his hand, he goes back to the table and sets down Erik's old cup and puts his own in his place. He looks up at Erik with an expectant expression then gestures to the seat.

The outcast of a man looks surprised but took the chair. "You surprise me, Charles. But I suppose I should expect nothing less from you. You have always been about kindness and acceptance. I rather wish I was able to feel the same, but considering where I'm going, that's not an option."

Charles sighs "Nothing ever seems to be an option with you, does it."

Erik speaks without missing a beat "I never got one. Why stop now?"

"There is, indeed, always an option, my friend. You just choose not to see it. Or not to take it. But," He waves his hand dismisivly "Let us, please not talk about choices. I'm sure you came here for another purpose than to bicker."

Nodding in agreement, he answers casually. "Indeed. Tell me what has happened since I left. I assume everyone hates me."

Charles laughs "That's a bit of an understatement, but yes. Though I, of course, just miss you-" He makes a shocked expression, but recovers. "I miss our talks, and chess games, and our bickering over silly things that don't matter…." The telepath has a distant look, then snaps back to reality. "Anyway! You asked about how things have been in general."

They talked for what seemed like hours about everything and nothing, as if nothing had ever happened between them as if it was just a normal day from the past when a feud that made them enemies wasn't shoved into a corner for a little casual conversation to take place. As if there wasn't a deep pain within both hearts of the two men. As if there wasn't a deep longing in both their voices, thoughts and souls.

Erik, Charles had vaguely noticed, had left off his helmet; and the young telepath was not searching or invading like he should in order to perhaps make the other man stay, or convince him to change his mind. He was simply there- brushing against Erik's consciousness as he used to, just to have a deeper connection to him. That small bond that Charles had always enjoyed, but never even really tried to achieve. It just simply happened. As if his mind just fit into the other's- melding as one. Charles had the minor thought and feeling of thankfulness that Erik had left his helmet behind, for when he had it on, Charles felt…. He had to be honest with himself. He felt just plain lost. That bond that had been created during those several months together had suddenly been cut off and left him feeling confused. Like he had forgotten something…. Erik coming back felt like an old tune flowing back into his head from his childhood. Or at least happier times.

When the laugher subsided from a stupid joke they had shared, Erik looked at the clock on the wall and frowned. "I…. I suppose I should be off."

Franticly, Charles looked too, not really caring what time it was, only that that thing on the wall needed to have disappeared before his friend had looked at it. He sighed, resigned to the fact that his friend wasn't quite his friend anymore. And that this respite had been just that. A one last time. "Erik…. You know you can always come back." He smiled "At least for tea anyway."

Erik nodded "Perhaps sometime. But ultimately, you know I can't."

"Yes, of course…. I'd be happy to see you again, though. As I was this time round."

Smiling, the other man said "As was I. I needed this." _'I needed you.'_ The though came unbidden to his mind. _'God, I hope he didn't hear that…. but….. I suppose I did.'_ He internally sighs and then screams as himself _'FOR GOD'S SAKE! JUST DO IT! You can't do any more harm than you already have.' _Erik sighs for real and after that split second argument with himself, bends down and presses his lips to Charles' in a first, perfect, pain-filled, forbidden kiss.

Charles only heard a minor feeling coming off the other man and was confused for those few seconds. Now he wasn't. He was surprised, but responded as if he had known all along that Erik would do this. It was as if they had done it many times before and it was just a simple kiss of love between them. The pain though….. The pain wasn't surprising at all. It hurt like the dickens both mentally and physically.

A sob managed to escape Charles' lips as the kiss ended, and an unbidden -almost unnoticed- tear fell from his chin to his lap. Erik stared into his eyes and a few tears were present on his face as well. An understanding passed between them but wasn't to be encouraged. The tears in Erik's eyes were quickly wiped away and his long strides took him away despite the pleading cries from the broken man in a wheelchair.

***tears at face and eyes* WWWWHHHHYYYYY!? WHY DID I WRITE THIS DEPRESSING LITTLE PIECE OF BEAUTY!? *I* didn't even know it was going to end like that till I got to the end….. WAAAAAAAHHHHHH! *whimpers and twitches* God! Someone make me write a next part! I'm too dead(and sleepy) to write it now. And I want feedback with ALLLLLL the feels. Hold nothing back! Speak your pain to me! I live on it! (That sounds really demonic or something…. But you good feels readers know what I mean. :-3)**

**I remain, good readers, your obedient writer,**


End file.
